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Transmission warranty woes only (problem occurrence log)

117K views 266 replies 113 participants last post by  AKESREX 
#1 ·
need new tranny

i just got my wrx,,,,i have around 5k on it and one day we had a little snow and i was fooling around doin donuts and then after that night...my tranny was messed up....NOw everytime i shift from 1st to 2nd my gears grind...i thought it was a sincro...but the dealer is rebuilding my tranny...I think that it shouldn't do that no matter how hard u beat on the car....
 
#127 ·
wow

well i just had a good run in with a similar if not the same problem, my car keeps having the gears pop out and im not sure if its the sycros or if its the pressure plate cause it does it when i let off the gas, and also when im just driving...anyone have an answer, and o yeah i hvae a warrentee, and those mothers are goin to be giving me a new tranny...if its a serious problem...which it is.
 
#128 ·
Second gear synchro gone prob.

Hey guys, here are my troubles....
'05 WRX 5 spd, lately an intermittent problem where second gear just "disappears", as if there is no shifter gate for the shifter to go into, no grinding, noises, anything.....2nd gear just gone. It will randomly resolve itself and then shift fine until the next time it happens, which could be ten minutes or ten days later. Definately seems to happen more after a hard run through first gear where I am accelerating quickly and then try to shift, and second's not there. I am thinking it's the synchro, but I would think it would happen all the time if the synchro had gone bad.
Here's my prob: some basic mods. Uppipe, downpipe, computer reflash (stock catback). To replace the synchro (if that's the prob), the whole tranny has to be dropped, at a cost of a week down-time and maybe around 1300-1500 dollars. Am I reasonable in assuming none of this will be covered under warranty??? I know, I know, the mods....only defense I have is that the tranny and second gear especially is a known weak link. Haven't done any 5000 rpm clutch dumps....and if they list abuse I would think the clutch and first gear would be banged up too. -sigh-
 
#129 · (Edited)
add me to this one too

06 wrx wagon, 6300 miles. i pulled out of the drive way, and when i put it in first, it popped out, i finally got it in first and dropped the clutch...popped and rolled about 10 feet. dealer denied warrenty work, so im paying 5300 bucks on it. new transmission, clutch, pressure plate, flywheel, and throwout bearing. they showed me the tranny and clutch disk. first gear was completely stripped off the input shaft, and the first output gear had about 90% of the teeth broken and missing. the clutch springs were loose where all of the internal support had broken and flung apart. dicked up the pressure plate and flywheel. should be fixed in about a week and a half. they gotta order everything.

:edit: i never had a problem with the tranny really, i always thought it was a bit notchy, and it whined in first and second quite a bit.
 
#132 ·
silverstreakin said:
add me to this one too

06 wrx wagon, 6300 miles. i pulled out of the drive way, and when i put it in first, it popped out, i finally got it in first and dropped the clutch...popped and rolled about 10 feet. dealer denied warrenty work, so im paying 5300 bucks on it. new transmission, clutch, pressure plate, flywheel, and throwout bearing. they showed me the tranny and clutch disk. first gear was completely stripped off the input shaft, and the first output gear had about 90% of the teeth broken and missing. the clutch springs were loose where all of the internal support had broken and flung apart. dicked up the pressure plate and flywheel. should be fixed in about a week and a half. they gotta order everything.

:edit: i never had a problem with the tranny really, i always thought it was a bit notchy, and it whined in first and second quite a bit.

ACK!! did you look around to find other alteratives? $5300 is a whole crapload of money for rebuilding the trans. You could have gotten a KAAZ gearset with aftermarket flywheel and clutch installed less money. Hell, I spent less money than that on my MRT gearset. Had you sidestepped the clutch many times before this failure? I know it's not an excuse the transmission should be able to hold up to the rigors of what the car can do(especially Subaru claiming sub 6 second 0-60 when the only way to do it is by sidestepping it), but it could be the cause. Did you try to call SoA and see what they said? I couldn't sit back and eat $5300 without putting up a fight.
 
#133 ·
Second gear problem.

Hey I have an 05 wrx and when I start driving my car every morning it has problems down-shifting from third to second. Is this just because the car is cold or is there a mechanical problem? Theres also a weird noise in second when I break with it. It sounds like a bad bearing but I know nothing about transmissions. Any help would be great. Im taking it to the dealership tomarow to get the vent fixed on the dash because it broke and ive only had the car for a month.
 
#134 ·
02 wrx wagon...3rd to 4th gear synchro...totally stock wrx, totally stock, complete with RE90 and about 40% of my stock pads still left on the car...47000 miles never raced, never off roaded...WARRENTY DENIED BASED ON DEALRSHIP CALLING IT ABUSE will cost 3600.00:eek: I smell something bad!
 
#135 ·
Well, that ain't right. You need to talk to the regional warranty person. He's the
rep for SOA out in the field and is higher up the food chain than the dealer.
Try 1-800-SUBARU3 or 1-800-782-2783. that'll get you customer service in
Cherry Hill.
As far as the field guy goes, a couple of years back the guy's name was
Heinz, I don't know who it is in CA right now.
 
#136 ·
Hey thanks for reading, i wasn't sure anyone was checking...i believe the info I recieved today was his name is Jim Bible...I have no idea on how to contact him. I did talk to SOA today, and they are looking into it, however he said once they do and they find that Jim has made his decision...and if it is abuse, I am screwed...I am hoping to keep alot of dialogue open with everyone...
 
#137 ·
I had problems with 5th gear grinding. 3 seperate visits to the dealer, at exactly
the same mileage increment each time. They paid for the exact same repair 3
times. Fortunately for me the "looks like abuse" thing never raised its head-
I did grease the skids at the service manager level by telling him when it
happened the first time (4500 miles) that he was dreaming if he thought
driver error was involved. "Fifth gear, you've got to be kidding, right?" Or
something to that effect. By the 3rd occurrance at 40-something thousand
miles, it was pretty much "we'll fix it again free." :cool:
If yours is truly a factual situation, stick by your guns, they are liable.
 
#142 · (Edited)
Guys quick question, im thinking of buying an 03 wrx with 16k miles on it. Was a middle aged guy in the navy who owned it prior, not around alot to drive it. Anyways my question is, i noticed a winding down type noise a few times on the test drive when i was in first and let off the gas at a slow speed. The noise was very short in duration. Shifting seemed smooth and i had no problem getting in and out of 1st while rolling or stoped. It seemed to be coming from the middle to rear of the car. If anyone knows if that winding noise is a bad sign or normal id appriciate your input. I read this whole thread and didnt really notice anything of the sort.
 
#143 ·
Epik'03 said:
Guys quick question, im thinking of buying an 03 wrx with 16k miles on it. Was a middle aged guy in the navy who owned it prior, not around alot to drive it. Anyways my question is, i noticed a winding down type noise a few times on the test drive when i was in first and let off the gas at a slow speed. Shifting seemed smooth and i had no problem getting in and out of 1st while rolling or stoped. If anyone knows if that winding noise is a bad sign or normal id appriciate your imput. I read this whole thread and didnt really notice anything of the sort.
Sounds like it's just "gear whine", which is normal. Nothing to worry about:thumbup:
 
#144 ·
Epik'03 said:
Guys quick question, im thinking of buying an 03 wrx with 16k miles on it. Was a middle aged guy in the navy who owned it prior, not around alot to drive it. Anyways my question is, i noticed a winding down type noise a few times on the test drive when i was in first and let off the gas at a slow speed. Shifting seemed smooth and i had no problem getting in and out of 1st while rolling or stoped. It seemed to be coming from the middle to rear of the car. If anyone knows if that winding noise is a bad sign or normal id appriciate your imput. I read this whole thread and didnt really notice anything of the sort.
Its normal gear wine my 05's had done it since day 1.
 
#146 ·
I get a little bit of a grind going into 5th

I have a 2002 WRX and the tranny seems fine for all the gears but 5th. I'm wondering if because of the short throw something is messed up. It doesn't always grind into 5th but only when i'm shifting from 4th quick enough that the RPMS don't drop... Do you think it is sincros ???? or maybe it just needs tranny fluid.....
 
#147 ·
Exactly the problem I had. Took 3 visits to service to get it fixed. Although my
warranty was long over by the third occurrance, they knew the history and the
dealer worked on it again for free. I learned a few things from this experience-
1) My trans doesn't like to see quick shifts into 5th.
2) The actual mechanic at the dealer said that for some reason on my trans,
he had to spend a lot of time on gear setup, which he said apparently he
finally got "right" the third time around.
3) With three repeat visits to service for the same problem, seperated by
about 4500-6000 miles each time, with the same three parts being replaced-
I'm not a transmission repair expert, but something more than those three
parts being replaced appears to be an issue in my transmission. Perhaps
my trans case is not quite the way it should be, etc.
4) Do I think it's permanently fixed? Probably not. I just don't shift aggressively
into 5th anymore. And there's something about the dealer's easy agreement
to work on the problem 3 times that tells me they know more than they're
telling on my transmission and that they'll go to practically any length to avoid
replacing the whole transmission- which is what I suggested to them the 2nd
time it happened :cool:
 
#148 ·
Every freakin year

RAFFY said:
Hey guys what year REX's is this 1st and 2nd gear stuff happening to?
My 05 that i bought new and only am rough on every now and then when i race but 90 percent of the time i drive her normal. Well my second gear had 8 broken teeth, pretty ****ty figuring i only have 19000 miles on it. I am pretty upset as subaru , they were no help at all. They build race cars but you can't race them... anyways, im getting an sti ra gear set put in so i should be happier with that anyways. some words of advice ... don't shift into or out of second hard... seems like second gear is subarus huge weakness.. and save your money,, cause you will have problems with it eventually and it isn't a cheap fix and the warranty won't help you... not at all.. but i still love my rex.. always will.
 
#149 ·
Balthus said:
02 wrx wagon...3rd to 4th gear synchro...totally stock wrx, totally stock, complete with RE90 and about 40% of my stock pads still left on the car...47000 miles never raced, never off roaded...WARRENTY DENIED BASED ON DEALRSHIP CALLING IT ABUSE will cost 3600.00:eek: I smell something bad!

I got denied to my friend..... it hurts to spend the money.. but i def... got denied.. I thiink something seriously needs to be done.. i don't understand how they can sell a "race car" when it can't even take normal day to day wear and tear..
 
#150 ·
WRXRacer02 said:
I have a 2002 WRX wagon. One of my buddy bought a sedan and has little over 10k on it. His 2nd gear teeth sheared off, simply came off while shifting. He took the car to the dealership and they simply refused to pay him (the car was bone stock), and said would cost him $3000 to put new parts!!:mad: He went for aftermarket stuff, which is much better product that the Subaru factory parts, paying same price.

I have heard similar problem in one other incident. I seriously think Subaru is trying to cover up :confused: Anybosy knows about similar incidents??
same here,, same problem, same outcome
 
#151 ·
second occurance 3 gear

second occurance 3 gear

well had had my car back for abut a month and was going down te road in third at 35 and pop the same sound as last time I pulled over at a friends house and called road side assit. the sent out a towing comp. - in 2hours time from a 1hour drive they picked the car up and sent it to the nearest dealership another hour in the opposite direction, the next morning I wwent to the dealership and they had called the dealership where I purchased the car and said to talk to my dad before the opened the tranny because the last time they fixed it under "goodwill" so now Im thinking my options are, first take it to the dealer that I purchased the car from, let them dissasemble it and see if they will fix it under warrenty, if not get ra gears, the sti tranny, or trade for a car on their lot.
 
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